Topologically nontrivial electromagnetic states. Topological properties play a fundamental role in many physical phenomena. The best known examples are quantum Hall systems, where insensitivity to local properties manifests itself as conductance through edge states that is insensitive to disorder. While the traditional research focus has been on electronic systems, there has been a recent emergence of great interest in exploring topological orders with photons. Several novel intriguing theoretic ....Topologically nontrivial electromagnetic states. Topological properties play a fundamental role in many physical phenomena. The best known examples are quantum Hall systems, where insensitivity to local properties manifests itself as conductance through edge states that is insensitive to disorder. While the traditional research focus has been on electronic systems, there has been a recent emergence of great interest in exploring topological orders with photons. Several novel intriguing theoretical schemes have been proposed to explore topological orders in photonic systems, both in the linear and strongly interacting regimes. This project aims to develop innovative theoretical and experimental approaches to explore topologically non-trivial states, from microwaves to optical regimes.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear and tunable topological states of light and sound. This project aims to provide deep theoretical insights into the physics of electromagnetic and mechanical topological states by bridging fundamental concepts of optics, optomechanics and nonlinear physics. The rapidly expanding digital world calls for a new generation of photonic devices to transmit and process information without losses. Recently discovered topological phases open unique opportunities to realise topological states of ....Nonlinear and tunable topological states of light and sound. This project aims to provide deep theoretical insights into the physics of electromagnetic and mechanical topological states by bridging fundamental concepts of optics, optomechanics and nonlinear physics. The rapidly expanding digital world calls for a new generation of photonic devices to transmit and process information without losses. Recently discovered topological phases open unique opportunities to realise topological states of light that are inherently immune to scattering losses. This multidisciplinary project aims to bridge fundamental topological physics with nonlinear nanophotonics and optomechanics by developing novel concepts of topological systems, dynamically tunable by nonlinearity. An expected outcome of this project is new approaches to control both light and sound dynamically in complex nanoscale structures, and uncover disorder-immune technologies for applications in on-chip communications and information processing.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100129
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,000.00
Summary
Equipment and instrumentation for breaking the quantum measurement barrier. This equipment will support Australia's partnership in the international effort to detect gravitational waves, which would allow the first direct observation of black holes and mark the beginning of exploration of the gravitational wave spectrum.
Three-Mode interactions and optical springs in high power optical cavities. Gravitational waves are tiny vibrations of space and time which carry vast energy. They will allow the first direct observation of black holes. To make frequent detections this project will harness the force of intense laser light, and use this force to improve the sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors.
Neural mechanisms of vestibular perception in zebrafish. This project aims to understand vestibular processing by removing physical movement. The vestibular system allows us to perceive gravity and movement, but it is not understood how the brain processes information from vestibular sensors in the inner ear. This project will exert forces on the zebrafish’s inner ear with a laser, stimulating the vestibular sense. This means that the animal will experience vestibular stimuli while stationary, a ....Neural mechanisms of vestibular perception in zebrafish. This project aims to understand vestibular processing by removing physical movement. The vestibular system allows us to perceive gravity and movement, but it is not understood how the brain processes information from vestibular sensors in the inner ear. This project will exert forces on the zebrafish’s inner ear with a laser, stimulating the vestibular sense. This means that the animal will experience vestibular stimuli while stationary, allowing calcium imaging of neurons that respond to vestibular cues and optogenetics to stimulate or silence these neurons. This is expected to reveal which cells and circuits mediate vestibular perception, processing and behaviour.Read moreRead less
Dual nanoparticles to distinguish between right and left biomolecules. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of optical activity to ultralow molecular concentration samples. Optical activity is a commercially available technique used to distinguish chemically identical and morphologically different biomolecules (enantiomers). Unlike other scattering techniques, near-field enhancing of optical activity has not been achieved, thus limiting these measurements to high molecular concentrations ....Dual nanoparticles to distinguish between right and left biomolecules. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of optical activity to ultralow molecular concentration samples. Optical activity is a commercially available technique used to distinguish chemically identical and morphologically different biomolecules (enantiomers). Unlike other scattering techniques, near-field enhancing of optical activity has not been achieved, thus limiting these measurements to high molecular concentrations. There is evidence indicating that optical activity can be enhanced using dual nanoparticles (ie small particles with the same response to electric and magnetic fields). This project aims to advance our understanding of these dual nanoparticles and experimentally implement their use to enhance optical activity.Read moreRead less
Nanophotonic metamaterials as anti-counterfeit devices in Australian banknotes. This project will demonstrate the application of novel materials as the basis for next generation security features on banknotes. Such elements play a key role in maintaining the integrity of Australia's currency since they present a significant barrier to counterfeiting.
Nanostructured films for optical document security. This project aims to develop a new class of synthetic thin films, with unique optical signatures as strong anti-counterfeiting features for future generations of Australian banknotes. The project expects to produce novel, ultra-thin films patterned on the nanoscale that produce vivid, easily recognisable optical effects building on recent advances in nanophotonic optical design and scalable nanofabrication strategies. The development of a range ....Nanostructured films for optical document security. This project aims to develop a new class of synthetic thin films, with unique optical signatures as strong anti-counterfeiting features for future generations of Australian banknotes. The project expects to produce novel, ultra-thin films patterned on the nanoscale that produce vivid, easily recognisable optical effects building on recent advances in nanophotonic optical design and scalable nanofabrication strategies. The development of a range of optical security features in Australia will ensure long-term confidence in our currency. An outcome of the project could be the commercialisation of new types of anti-counterfeiting features for use in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less
Controlling parametric instabilities in advanced GW detectors. This project aims to solve the problem of parametric instability in gravitational wave detectors to support an international large-scale physics experiment. The project is part of Australia’s participation in the new advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) gravitational wave detectors that have been designed to achieve the first detection of gravitational waves. A 2005 prediction made by the project leader ....Controlling parametric instabilities in advanced GW detectors. This project aims to solve the problem of parametric instability in gravitational wave detectors to support an international large-scale physics experiment. The project is part of Australia’s participation in the new advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) gravitational wave detectors that have been designed to achieve the first detection of gravitational waves. A 2005 prediction made by the project leaders that the detectors would experience acoustic instabilities was confirmed during detector commissioning in 2014. The project team plans to work closely with the detector designers and commissioners to solve this problem and allow the detectors to achieve their target sensitivity.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102352
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Three-dimensional structural imaging in optical microscopy and tomography. This project will develop fundamentally new strategies for looking inside live cells to determine their internal structures. Such capability will permit a better understanding of diseases, the link between diabetes and heart failure for example, opening the door for new diagnostic techniques and treatments.